Abstract
Creatine is a prevalent ergogenic supplement that improves muscular strength and lean body mass. Concerns have been expressed regarding the potential contribution to hair loss through the elevation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). At now, there is no direct data investigating the correlation between creatine supplementation and the health of hair follicles. The objective was to assess the impact of 12 weeks of creatine supplementation on androgen levels and hair follicle health in healthy young boys.
Forty-five resistance-trained guys (ages 18–40 years) were recruited and randomly allocated to either a creatine monohydrate (5 g/day) or placebo (5 g maltodextrin/day) group. Participants adhered to their customary diets and workout regimens. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks to assess total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHT levels. The health of hair follicles was evaluated via the Trichogram test and the FotoFinder system, which measured hair density, follicular unit count, and cumulative hair thickness. Statistical studies utilized repeated measures ANOVA, and any outliers were assessed by sensitivity analysis.
Thirty-eight participants finished the research, exhibiting no significant changes in baseline characteristics among groups. No group-by-time interactions were detected for either hormonal or hair-related outcomes (p > 0.05). Although total testosterone levels rose (∆ = post value minus pre value: creatine = ∆124 ± 149 ng/dL; placebo = ∆216 ± 203 ng/dL) and free testosterone levels declined (creatine = ∆-9.0 ± 8.7 pg/mL; placebo = ∆-9 ± 6.4 pg/mL) over time, these changes were not influenced by supplementation. No significant changes were seen in DHT levels, DHT-to-testosterone ratios, or hair growth characteristics between the creatine and placebo groups.
This study was the inaugural investigation to explicitly evaluate hair follicle health subsequent to creatine administration, yielding robust data refuting the assertion that creatine induces hair loss.
Authors: Mohammadyasin Lak, Scott C. Forbes, Damoon Ashtary-Larky, Sahar Dadkhahfar, Reza Mahmoud Robati, Farshid Nezakatie, Makan Khajevandi, Sara Naseri, Arvin Gerafiani, Neda Haghighat, Jose Antonio & Grant M. Tinsley.
Publisher: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (Taylor and Francis)
Citation: Lak, M., Forbes, S. C., Ashtary-Larky, D., Dadkhahfar, S., Robati, R. M., Nezakati, F., … Tinsley, G. M. (2025). Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 22(sup1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2025.2495229